Chapter IV: Lawful and Unlawful
Once Caliph Solaiman came to Medina and called the sage Abu Hazem. When he came to him, he said : O Abu Hazem, why is death so disliking to me ? He said : It is because you have destroyed your hereafter and adorned your world with numerous adornments. The Caliph said : How shall we approach God ? He said : O Commander of the Faithful, the pious men will return to the families in happiness like one absent, and the sinners like afugitive slave to his master. The Caliph then burst into tears and said : What will be my condition ? Abu Hazem said :
"Look to this verse : The pious will be in bliss and the transgressors in Hell. Soli man asked : Where is the mercy of God ? He said : Near the pious. The king asked : Who among God's servants is the most honourable ? He said : The pious and the God-fearing. He asked : Who among the believers is the wisest ? He said : The believer who obeys the religion of God and calls the people towards it.
The Caliph Omar-b-Abdul Aziz said once to Abu Hazem :
Give me advice. He said : Place death near your head when you go to bed and then look to what you love ; you will then give up what you do not like.
Once a desert Arab came to the Caliph Soliman who said to him : Give me some advice. On being assured of his safety, he said , he said : O Commander of the Faithful, there are some men among your special friends who have adopted dishonest ways and purchased the world in lieu of their next world and look to your pleasure by incurring the displeasure of their Lord. They fear you in the matters of God and they do not fear God in your matters. You are in good terms with the world after forgetting the next world. You have not given security to the people about the matters from which God has given you
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security. They are in dire wants and needs. You will be asked for what they do you will not do good to your world by selling your hereafter, as he is fool who sells his hereafter for his world. Solaiman said : O desert Arab, beware, the sharpness of your tongue is more than that of your sword. He said , O Commander of the Faithful that is true, but it is for you and not against you.
Once Hazrat Abu Bakr said to Hazrat Muwayiah : O Muwayiah, fear God and know that the day which goes, out from you and the night which comes take you away from this world and near the hereafter. There is such as searcher behind you from whom you can never save yourself. You have got a fixed limit which you cannot cross. The sooner you reach the limit, the searcher will arrest you : The properties we are in will all pass away and what we proceed to still remains. Take to what is good and give up what is bad.